OBJECTIVE: To determine the length and position of a thyroidectomy scar that is cosmetically most appealing to naïve raters. METHODS: Images of thyroidectomy scars were reproduced on male and female necks using digital imaging software. Surgical variables studied were scar position and length. Fifteen raters were presented with 56 scar pairings and asked to identify which was preferred cosmetically. Twenty duplicate pairings were included to assess rater reliability...

Transforming growth factor beta-3 (TGF-β3) has been shown to decrease scar formation after scheduled topical applications to the cutaneous wounds. This study aimed to continuously deliver TGF-β3, during the early phase of wound healing, by engineering a dermal equivalent (DE) using TGF-β3 expressing bone marrow stromal cells (BM-SCs) and human dehydrated amniotic membrane (hDAM). To engineer a DE, rat BM-SCs were seeded on the hDAM and TGF-β3 was transiently transfected into the BM-SCs using a plasmid vector...

Benign breast tumors (BBTs) are common in women. The traditional surgical resection method for the various types of BBT leaves obvious scars and affects the appearance of the breast. The present study introduces the experience of a single institution in the treatment of BBT by periareolar incision. The clinical data of 153 patients (182 breasts) with BBT who had undergone a resection via a periareolar incision between January 2010 and December 2012 in Qilu Hospital, Shandong University (Jinan, Shandong, China), was retrospectively analyzed...

Patients with severe postburn scar contractures underwent reconstruction of skin defects after scar excision with pre-expanded super-thin skin perforator flaps supplied primarily by perforators via the "bridging effect" from the branches of the adjacent arteries as 2-stage procedures. Pre-expansion is an innovative technique and may improve the anastomoses between subdermal vascular plexuses and extend the supplying area of these vessels to the flap. Such a flap becomes super thin, but with a prefabricated blood supply it can be used for reconstruction of skin defects of the face, neck, or other body part with improved functional and cosmetic outcomes...

Pre-expanded perforator flaps have several advantages over their traditional counterparts owing to the thin, more pliable nature, larger size, and minimum morbidity of the donor site. Recently, plastic surgeons have begun to use pre-expanded perforator flaps to reconstruct defects of almost the entire body, including the cervicofacial region, axilla, trunk, and extremities resulting from scar, congenital melanocytic nevi, hemangiomas, and neurofibromas. Such a versatile flap is especially appropriate for face and neck resurfacing, which requires more optimal functional and cosmetic outcomes...

Extended osteotomies for mid-face advancement require generous exposure of the anterior maxilla, nasal bones, infraorbital rims, orbital floor, zygoma, and the anterior third of the zygomatic arches. This cannot be obtained with an exclusive transoral approach. Hence, the surgeon is usually compelled to utilize supplemental cutaneous incisions that are a compromise on the purpose behind a cosmetic surgery. In order to alleviate the need for such compromise, the authors advocate the mid face degloving approach for extended osteotomies at Lefort II and Lefort III levels...

Vascular compromise with impending skin necrosis is one of the most serious potential complications. Early recognition of vascular occlusion and swift and aggressive treatment are required to avoid any irreversible changes. However, initial symptoms of a vascular event are often dismissed as simple post-procedural discomfort. If more than 3 days pass after filler injection, crust formation is initiated over the erythematous base along with a rim of fibrous tissue. Due to the replacement of normal tissues by fibrous material, the healing process may result in scar formation in spite of debridement and aggressive dressing changes...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Caesarean section (c-section) scars can be pose functional and cosmetic challenges and ablative fractional laser (AFXL) treatment may offer benefit to patients. We evaluated textural and color changes over time in AFXL-treated versus untreated control scars. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomized, controlled, intra-individual split-scar trial with three sessions of AFXL-treatments for mature c-section scars. Settings of AFXL were adjusted to each individual scar...

There was a concern on the cosmetic perspective of conventional thyroidectomy that usually left a transcervical incision scar. To solve this problem, the endoscopic thyroidectomy approaches were developed. However, there was no generally accepted recommendations exist for which approach is the best choice. The choice for a particular case depended mainly on the surgeon's experience and preference. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

BACKGROUND: Conservative surgical treatment has been the treatment of choice for early breast cancer. It allows feasible oncological treatment with a satisfactory cosmetic approach and fast recovery. However, in some cases mastectomy is necessary. This study proposes a surgical approach with only one surgical access through the same incision, which is in line with precepts mentioned above. It is called the prime incision and modified moving window techniques. METHODS: Thirty one patients with a breast cancer diagnosis who would have to undergo surgery were enrolled...

PURPOSE: To assess the utility of internal distraction osteogenesis with Piezosurgery oblique osteotomy of supraorbital margin of frontal bone for the treatment of unilateral coronal synostosis and to study the outcome and complications of this procedure. Oblique osteotomy allows for entry into the cranial cavity, and along with parallel cut to the roof of the orbit, avoids the need to cut into the orbit which forms the frontal flap. METHODS: Oblique osteotomy was performed along the supraorbital rim to do a frontal suture of the glabella (ages of patients were less than 1 year) or on the opposite side of the supraorbital rim (ages of patients were older than 1 year) after performing a suturectomy of the effected coronal suture...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the cosmetic outcomes of laparoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) and conventional laparoscopy (CL) in the treatment of ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) and urachal remnant removal. LESS is thought to produce better cosmetic results than CL; however, patients' perception of their scars has not been assessed. This study compared the subjective body image and cosmesis ratings of patients who had undergone LESS or CL for UPJO and urachal remnant removal...

Poland's syndrome (PS) is a congenital monolateral deformity that may involve breast, chest wall, and upper limb with different degrees of clinical expressions. In some cases, the problem is mainly cosmetic, and the reconstruction should be performed to achieve minimal scarring and donor site morbidity. The authors describe a case report of a male patient with PS who developed a severe capsular contraction after 25 years implant reconstruction, who was treated after explantation using free gracilis flap (FGF)...

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the efficiency of the percutaneous 18-G needle technique in releasing the fibro-osseous sheath over the first dorsal extensor compartment of the hand. METHODS: Using anatomic landmarks, percutaneous release was performed with an 18-G needle on 48 wrists of 24 cadavers. The specimens were then dissected and examined for the completeness of the first dorsal extensor compartment release and any tendon or neurovascular injuries. The tunnel length, number of abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis tendons, presence of an intertendinous septum, and the effects of these parameters on percutaneous release were evaluated...

Trans-oral laporascopic thyroidectomy is a innovative technique that incoporated the concept of natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery. Compare to other endoscopic thyroidectomy, trans-oral laporascopic thyroidectomy is characterised with no scar in the body surface, better cosmetic results and conforms to the concept of minimally invasive surgery. At present, trans-oral laporascopic thyroidectomy is still in the initial stages of clinical application and gains a great deal of attention from surgeons all over the world...

Thyroid diseases are much more common in women than in men. The traditional open thyroidectomy brings almost patients significant visible scars in the anterior neck. The demand for cosmesis after surgery promotes the occurrence and development of endoscopic techniques. Various endoscopic techniques were designed to minimize the visible scar and promote the rehabilitation after surgery. In order to achieve these, two distinct ideas have developed. One is committed to shorten the length of surgical incision as much as possible...

BACKGROUND: Gynecomastia is a common finding in male subjects which incidence varies widely in the world population. In adolescents, it is frequently temporary but, if it becomes persistent, it generates considerable embarrassment, inducing the patients to seek surgical consultation. Even in patients with good body contour, gynecomastia creates even greater distress considering the special attention given by these subjects to their physical appearance. The authors present their experience in the treatment of gynecomastia comparing different body types of patients with the aim to investigate dissimilar expectations, needs and surgical outcomes thus optimizing the management of the pathological condition, achieving high levels of agreement and reducing unsatisfied patients arising from cosmetic surgery...